Caroline is a town in Tompkins County, New York, home to about 3,280 people across 55 square miles. Its ZIP codes are 14817 and 14881, and parts of 13736 are in Caroline too.
Homes sold for a median of $142 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 0 of 2 were seller’s markets.
Mostly Caroline; also Danby
All in Caroline
Mostly Berkshire; part is in Caroline
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Caroline. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Caroline’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR)53 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport (ITH)11 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Buffalo, NY134 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | New York, NY170 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Caroline; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Caroline had 3,334 residents in the 2020 census, up 15% since 2000.
It’s the 482nd largest of 1,007 towns in New York by population.
Tompkins County grew from 33,830 residents in 1900 to 105,740 in 2020.
Tompkins County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 79°F in summer, and winter lows average 13°F. About 41.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Ithaca 13 E, NY weather station (7 miles away).
50,869 jobs at 2,230 businesses in Tompkins County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
9 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Caroline’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 1 |
|---|---|
| Dentists | 1 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 1 |
| Mental health providers | 5 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 1 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Libraries
Counts are within about 5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1811.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Ithaca City School District, New York State Office of Children and Family Services (Ocfs). Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caroline Elementary SchoolSlaterville Springs | Pre-K–5 | 273 | Public | 3.3 mi |
| Maccormick Secure CenterBrooktondale | 9–12 | 22 | Alternative Education | 2.3 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Berkshire, Newark Valley, Richford, Lisle, Candor and Danby.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.